CYPRESS, CALIFORNIA – Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. announced today Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg and Jeremy McGrath will both compete in the Pro2 Unlimited class of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series on Toyo Open Country M/T-R tires. This action-packed short-course off-road racing series features large fields of entrants in high-horsepower machines, all fighting for the top spot on the podium. Both drivers are members of the powerful Stronghold Motorsports off-road racing team.

Last year seven-time AMA Supercross Champion, Jeremy McGrath, captured his first win in Pro 2 Unlimited in front of a packed stadium at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He also captured six podium finishes, one being third overall in the big money finale, the Lucas Oil Challenge Cup, Pro 2 vs. Pro 4. With his 2011 successes, look for McGrath to be a strong contender for the Pro 2 Unlimited championship in 2012 with his 900-horsepower #2 Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Ford F-150.

Joining McGrath and Team Toyo Off-Road is Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg with his Toyo Tires / Stronghold Motorsports Ford F-150. The hard-charging Stenberg is a 10-time X-Games medalist in Freestyle Moto-X and won the 2010 SuperLite truck class championship in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series.

“I’m pumped to be joining my teammate Jeremy McGrath on Team Toyo. Toyo Tires has established itself as a leader in short course off road racing with the Open Country M/T race tire,” said Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg. “My Stronghold Motorsports Pro2 is dialed in and with my Toyo Tires putting that horsepower to the ground we’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.”

“We are excited to have both Jeremy ‘Twitch’ Stenberg and Jeremy McGrath as members of Team Toyo Off-Road in 2012,” said Amy Coleman, senior director of marketing, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. “Both are highly competitive and have a huge base of fans. They will both be great representatives of our Toyo Tires philosophy… Driven to Perform.”

The 16-race Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series begins March 31, 2012 at Firebird Raceway in Chandler, Arizona. Races will be broadcast on CBS Sports, NBC Sports Network, SPEED Channel and MavTV. Log on to www.lucasoiloffroad.com for both race and programming schedules.

“Jeremy is a founder of our company, he’s the winningest Supercross racer in history, and he helped turn Supercross into a pop-cultural and motorsports mainstay with his talent and showmanship—his is an integral part of SPY and an icon of our brand,” says Victor Sheldon, SPY motorsports marketing manager.

McGrath won seven Supercross Championships titles between 1993 and 2000 and amassed a record 72 main event wins. His charisma and flair transcended the sport, propelling him to mega-stardom while recruiting to the sport of Supercross a fan base that extended well beyond the universe of motor heads. Some would argue he is responsible for the birth of freestyle motocross, when he unveiled his signature Nac-Nac, a maneuver he started throwing around in races in ’94 when he started with SPY.

Irvine, Calif. – Explosions and fireworks marked the start of the 2012 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season Saturday night in front of a sold out Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto started the new season right where he left in 2011, on top of the podium. The intensity was high from the gate drop of the first heat race when another rider collided with Villopoto on the start, forcing him off track. But as a proven champion, he went on to make a statement in the main event by leading from start to finish.

His teammate Jake Weimer also started the season off strong, riding through the pack to finish fifth, while Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Broc Tickle made his supercross class debut with a 12th place finish.

In the supercross lites class, Tyla Rattray rode a consistent main event to start off the season with a second place finish. Teammate Dean Wilson hounded Rattray all night but was one of the many victims of the tricky track design and fell on the final lap, dropping back three spots to finish sixth.

No Fluke
The 2012 supercross class is one of the most highly competitive fields the sport has ever seen. Saturday night, Villopoto made it seem almost effortless as he led every lap of the 20-lap main event building a lead as high as 20 seconds over the competition.

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to announce the 2012 AMA Pro/Am Motocross schedule. AMA Pro/Am Motocross provides the proving ground for amateur racers to earn the credentials they need to line up at an AMA Supercross or AMA Pro Racing Motocross event.

“AMA Pro/Am Motocross represents the pinnacle of amateur motocross competition,” said AMA Director of Racing Joe Bromley. “Racers at these events compete at premier tracks around the country for the points, purse money and contingency that will help them get to the next level — AMA Supercross and AMA Pro Racing Motocross.

“This year’s schedule is one of the best ever, with more than 40 events at some of the country’s most challenging race tracks run by the sport’s top promoters and organizers. This schedule is designed to test riders with top competition and national-caliber tracks and prepare them for the pro ranks.”

Bromley added that the current AMA Pro/Am Motocross schedule is just the start for 2012 and that additional events will be added and announced throughout the course of the season.

Riverside, CA – Meet your favorite Supercross heroes this Thursday at Malcolm Smith Motorsports! Ryan Villopoto, James Stewart, Ryan Dungey, Kevin Windham and many more top riders of the 2012 AMA Supercross Championship will be on hand to meet and greet Supercross fans and sign autographs. Come out between 5:00pm and 7:00pm for your chance to meet the stars of the 2012 season. Register early for a priority VIP wristband!

Roczen, who competed in the AMA West Supercross Lites Championship last season, will return to the U.S. full-time this year to compete in both series aboard his 250 SX-F. The German rider was most recently crowned as the 2011 MX2 World Champion. He is the youngest rider in the series history to win the title.

The 17 year-olds fan base grew significantly last year after fans witnessed his energetic, youthful personality and unique riding style during the Supercross season. He proved he was a top contender in the Lites Supercross class with a podium at both the Anaheim 2 and Salt Lake City rounds as well as a race win at the season finale in Las Vegas. Furthermore, he proved he could easily transition between classes when he switched to the 350 SX-F and competed in two of the Supercross class rounds.

“I am so excited to return to the states to race. I really learned a lot last year during the Supercross season and began to turn my season around at the final races. I am hoping to pick up where I left off, and with any luck, stand on the podium a lot next season,” remarked Roczen. “I am also equally excited about the outdoor series as I have never raced motocross in the United States and I am looking forward to the new competition and new tracks.”

Joining Roczen on the Red Bull/KTM Factory Team is 2-time MX2 World Champion, Marvin Musquin. The French rider relocated to California last year to compete in the Supercross and Motocross Championships but was plagued with injury early on. A torn ACL left him out of the Supercross competition, a series he is most looking forward to for 2012.

“Supercross racing has always been my favorite form of racing. I am so excited to race in the stadiums in front of the crowds. I love the big jumps and fast pace of Supercross racing and can’t wait for the first round,” stated Musquin.

Musquin will also compete in the 250cc Motocross season for his second year in the U.S. He was again plagued with injury at the beginning of the 2011 motocross season but made up for his absence in the final two rounds of the series where he landed on the podium twice. Musquin is currently preparing for the 2011 Monster Energy Cup race in Las Vegas, NV where he will compete in the premier class aboard a 350 SX-F.

“We are excited to have two well-decorated and talented riders on our roster for the 2012 season,” said Red Bull/KTM Team Manager Roger DeCoster. “As past champions, both riders have proved they have the discipline and skill to win races and be title contenders. The entire team is excited for next season and we are looking forward to a very successful year.”

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – For the seventh consecutive year, Team USA has won the FIM Motocross of Nations. Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Dungey, and Blake Baggett – all multi-race winners in the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship – were able to overcome wet weather, a dynamic racetrack in the French town of St. Jean d’Angely, and tremendous competition from the rest of the world’s fastest motocross athletes to capture the coveted Peter Chamberlain Trophy. With their backs against the wall going into the third and final moto, Villopoto and Dungey finished first and second, taking the overall win in dominant fashion.

“We knew where we stood,” said Villopoto, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s reigning AMA Motocross and AMA Supercross Champion, of the dramatic last-moto efforts required of himself and Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Dungey. “If we went 1-2, we were going to win. We knew we could do that, or we would need some luck. We knew we could ride better. We did it all year.”

The victory in France last Sunday, Sept. 18, marks the 22nd time since 1981 that Team USA has emerged victorious from this prestigious event. MX Sports Pro Racing and Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, congratulate the three riders as well as Team Manager Roger DeCoster, Assistant Team Manager Mitch Payton, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), and AMA Pro Racing on their success in Europe.

The American Motocross tour was well represented on the other steps of the podium as well. Runner-up France fielded Marvin Musquin, who rides for KTM in the 250 Class of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, as well as former AMA Motocross title contender Christophe Pourcel. Third-place Australia was led by 2009 AMA Motocross 450 Class Champion Chad Reed, who won the first combined MX1/MX2 moto in France over U.S.-bound German sensation Ken Roczen and Ryan Dungey, the 2010 AMA Motocross 450 Class Champion. The Australian team also included Brett Metcalfe, winner of last month’s Southwick National, as well as Matt Moss, another AMA Motocross tour veteran.

MX Sports Pro Racing and Alli Sports congratulate all the athletes who represented their nations in France, as well as Youthstream, organizer of the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations, on an exceptional motorsports event.

Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey was again part of a victorious Team USA that claimed the prestigious Chamberlain Trophy at the Motocross of Nations for the seventh year in a row today.

The 2011 AMA Supercross and Motocross runner-up and former double Champion helped his country to the top step of the podium in a close finish to the 65th edition, run under showery skies and in front of a noisy, passionate and cosmopolitan 68,000 crowd at St Jean D’Angely in France.

Dungey scored second and third in his two motos to win the MX1 class and assist enormously with the points score for the defending Champions. It represented his third appearance in the Stars and Stripes colours and now involves a perfect 100% record. The rutty hard-pack was even more difficult when intermittent heavy showers made the dirt rough and slippery. Conquering the conditions for a landmark achievement was Dungey’s team-mate Brett Metcalfe whose seventh and 10th positions in the MX Open category hoisted Australia onto the podium for the first time ever in the history of the competition.

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to announce the members of the U.S. team that will compete at the FIM Motocross of Nations, Sept. 17-18, at Saint Jean D’Angely, France. The 2011 team will include Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto and Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett.

“America’s talent pool for motocross racers is the deepest in the world,” said AMA Supercross Director Kevin Crowther. “As demonstrated by their performances in this summer’s Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championships, these three riders are among the best that the United States has to offer. We’re confident they will do their country proud at this prestigious event.”

Perennial U.S. Team Manager and Motorcycle Hall of Famer Roger DeCoster will manage the team in its hunt for a record 22nd Motocross of Nations Championship.

Riders in the Motocross of Nations compete in either MX1, featuring mostly 450cc four-stroke machinery; MX2, featuring mostly 250cc four-stroke bikes; or the Open class. The U.S. team will announce each rider’s designated class closer to the event.

The Motocross of Nations is one of the most high-profile motorsport events in the world. It features national teams competing for a combined score to determine the overall championship-winning country. The event emerged in post-war Europe in 1947 and has run uninterrupted since that time. The United States is the all-time leader in Motocross of Nations overall victories with 21. Great Britain is second with 16.

The United States is the reigning champion of the Motocross of Nations, winning in 2010 when the event was held in Lakewood, Colo.

Hurricane Mills, Tenn. – While the nation’s fastest amateur motocross riders lay it all on the line at the legendary Loretta Lynn Ranch, several special events will generate some excitement of their own at the 2011 Red Bull AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship presented by AMSOIL. Kicking-off Sunday, July 31, the seven-day event will be a showcase of the future stars of the sport while also marking the return of some of Loretta Lynn’s most successful graduates.

Sunday morning kicks off with a Chapel Service with Reverend Kevin Cozadd of MXers for Jesus, taking place at the Thor Semi at 9 a.m. CST. Youth Rider Registration begins at 1 p.m., followed by Amateur Rider Registration at 4 p.m., both at the AMSOIL ARENA. As registration winds down, head over to the Team Green Pits for the Oakley Golf Cart Parade at 6 p.m. This is just a warm-up for the 7 p.m. Red Bull Mini Moto for Mechanics, which takes place at the starting line. Don’t miss the chance to watch the behind-the-scenes guys lay it down while their riders cheer them on!

If you’ve never experienced the Red Bull Air Force Moto Team in action before, you’re in for a treat on Tuesday as they will be parachuting to the starting line during intermission, just before the start of the 450 A class. Tuesday night at 7 p.m., the Thor Race of Champions and the Industry Invitational Pike Bike Racing will be happening down at the starting line, surely providing some race-action excitement in the downtime of amateur motocross racing.

Looking for a good time? The FMF Pit Area is hosting karaoke Tuesday night, beginning at 8:30 p.m. so bring your dancing shoes and a mental list of your favorite feel-good songs, and don’t forget your friends! Not a fan of singing? The AMSOIL Arena is presenting the James Stewart “Inside the Helmet Performance Workshop,” where James Stewart, two-time AMA Supercross Champion and three-time AMA Motocross Champion, shares what it’s like to live the life of a factory supported racer. Be sure to stick around after the workshop because the Nitro Circus Las Vegas Premier will be playing immediately following Stewart’s presentation.

Three-time AMA Motocross Champion, AMA Supercross Champion and 2005 Loretta Lynn’s National Champion Ryan Villopoto will pay a visit to the track on Wednesday, August 3. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider will join 2009 Horizon Award Winner and Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Dean Wilson for a Team Green autograph session at the Team Green Pits, beginning at 10:30 a.m. During the day’s intermission, both riders will help debut the newest lineup of 2012 Kawasaki’s before taking part in another autograph session from the Kawasaki Team Green pit area immediately following the bike debut. Ten Man Push, the Official Band of American Motocross, will be on stage at 1:30 p.m. and again at 4 p.m. at the Loretta Lynn Beach. Red Bull KTM factory rider Andrew Short and former 125cc Motocross Champion and factory KTM rider Mike Brown will help introduce the newest lineup of 2012 KTM bikes during intermission as well.

In celebration of Kawasaki’s 30th Anniversary, country music star Craig Morgan will be live in concert at the AMSOIL Arena on Thursday evening, beginning at 8 p.m. Ten Man Push, the Official Band of American Motocross, will be on stage at 7:30 p.m., opening for Craig Morgan.

With so much history and tradition, Loretta Lynn’s is often the place where the biggest names of years past return to pay their respects to the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship and pay a visit to some old friends while making several new ones along the way. Other riders in attendance this year include 15-Time AMA Supercross Champion Ricky Carmichael, past AMA Supercross Champion Jeff Emig and James Stewart, who all started out their amateur careers here at Loretta’s.

The 30th Annual Red Bull AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship presented by AMSOIL commences on August 1-6, 2011 from Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. For information about the event, log onto www.mxsports.com. To see a full schedule of events, click HERE.